The Role of the Bishops in the Livonian Political System (in the First Half of the 16th Century)
Kuupäev
2016-05-12
Autorid
Ajakirja pealkiri
Ajakirja ISSN
Köite pealkiri
Kirjastaja
Abstrakt
Keskaegse Liivimaa poliitilise ajaloo käsitlemisel on sealsete piiskoppidest maahärrade tegevusele seni suhteliselt vähe tähelepanu pööratud, kuna enamasti on keskendutud kahele võimsaimale poliitilisele jõule: Saksa ordu Liivimaa harule ja Riia peapiiskopile. Käesoleva doktoritöö peamiseks eesmärgiks on aga näidata, et vähemalt 16. sajandi esimesel poolel oli ka piiskoppidel Liivimaa poliitilises süsteemis suhteliselt oluline roll. Töös käsitlen eelkõige 1530.–50. aastate sisepoliitikat, mida seni pole väga põhjalikult uuritud, tõestamaks nelja põhiväidet. Esiteks, piiskoppidel oli oluline roll sisepoliitikas, kuna nende toetus määras tihti, kas võimuvõitluses oli edukam ordu või peapiiskop. Teiseks põhiväiteks on, et kõik sisekonfliktid püüti lahendada Liivimaal ning välisjõudude sekkumist katsuti üldiselt vältida. Samas oli konfliktide kohapealne rahumeelne lahendamine tihti keerukas, sest see eeldas kõigi Liivimaa poliitiliste jõudude nõusolekut, mille saavutamine osutus pahatihti võimatuks. Kolmandaks, Liivimaa valitsejad suhtlesid üldiselt omavahel kui võrdne võrdsega: keegi neist polnud teise kohaliku isanda sõltlane ning ka see, et piiskopid allusid kiriklikus mõttes Riia peapiiskopile kui oma metropoliidile, ei mõjutanud nendevahelist poliitilist suhtlust oluliselt. Neljandaks, luterlaste ja katoliiklaste usulised vastuolud mõjutasid Liivimaa poliitikat vähe ning religiooniküsimustesse suhtuti pragmaatiliselt: usudispuutide pidamise asemel püüdis enamik liivimaalastest pigem säilitada maa niigi habrast sisemist poliitilist stabiilsust.
Until now, the surveys concerning the political history of Medieval Livonia have turned relatively little attention to political activities of the Bishops, while they mostly are focused on the mightiest political powers: The Livonian branch of the Teutonic Order, and the Archbishop of Riga. The main objective of this thesis is to show that in the first half of the 16th century, the Bishops had relatively important role in the political system of Livonia. Here, I examine more closely inner-Livonian politics of the period from the 1530s to the 1550s with the main aim to prove four main hypotheses. First of all, the Bishops played a significant role in Livonian politics, because their support often determined the outcome of the power struggles between the Order and the Archbishop. The second main argument is that Livonians normally tried to solve all internal struggles inside the land, and to avoid the foreign intervention. However, peaceful resolving of these conflicts was often quite complicated, while it premised the consent of all Livonian political powers, which frequently was impossible to achieve. Thirdly, the reciprocal relations between Livonian rulers were generally equal: None of them was dependent of another Livonian lord, and the ecclesiastical subordination of the Bishops to the Archbishop did not affect the political relations between them, at least not substantially. Fourthly, religious contradictions between Lutherans and Catholics had only minor influence in Livonian politics, and there was a pragmatic attitude towards the question of religion: Instead of the disputes, the majority of Livonians preferred to maintain the fragile internal stability of the land.
Until now, the surveys concerning the political history of Medieval Livonia have turned relatively little attention to political activities of the Bishops, while they mostly are focused on the mightiest political powers: The Livonian branch of the Teutonic Order, and the Archbishop of Riga. The main objective of this thesis is to show that in the first half of the 16th century, the Bishops had relatively important role in the political system of Livonia. Here, I examine more closely inner-Livonian politics of the period from the 1530s to the 1550s with the main aim to prove four main hypotheses. First of all, the Bishops played a significant role in Livonian politics, because their support often determined the outcome of the power struggles between the Order and the Archbishop. The second main argument is that Livonians normally tried to solve all internal struggles inside the land, and to avoid the foreign intervention. However, peaceful resolving of these conflicts was often quite complicated, while it premised the consent of all Livonian political powers, which frequently was impossible to achieve. Thirdly, the reciprocal relations between Livonian rulers were generally equal: None of them was dependent of another Livonian lord, and the ecclesiastical subordination of the Bishops to the Archbishop did not affect the political relations between them, at least not substantially. Fourthly, religious contradictions between Lutherans and Catholics had only minor influence in Livonian politics, and there was a pragmatic attitude towards the question of religion: Instead of the disputes, the majority of Livonians preferred to maintain the fragile internal stability of the land.
Kirjeldus
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Märksõnad
Liivimaa Ordu, Riia piiskopkond, Saare-Lääne piiskopkond, roomakatoliku kirik, peapiiskopid, hertsogid, poliitiline kommunikatsioon, retoorika, poliitiline ajalugu, poliitilised lahkhelid, Saare-Lääne vaenus, koadjuutorivaenus, reformatsioon, religioonipoliitika, piiskopid, Tartu, Vana-Liivimaa, Preisimaa, 16. saj. 1. pool, Livonian Order, Archbishopric of Riga, Bishopric of Ösel–Wiek, Roman Catholic Church, archbishops, dukes, political communication, rhetoric, political history, political conflicts, Coadjutor conflict in Livonia, 1556-1957, reformatsion, religious policy, bishops, Tartu, Old Livonia, Prussia, first half of the 16th century